Window sash fastener



A. L. LUCE WINDOW SASH FASTENER Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed NOV. 19, 1954 l/flbez'i [I Lace Patented Feb. 25, 1936 STATES PATE'i' QFFIQE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to latches and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device of this character especially designed for use on motor buses and similar conveyances and by means of which the windows thereof may be quickly and conveniently moved to open or closed position and securely held in any desired position of adjustment with very little exertion on the part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a window latch, the construction of which is such that the active end of the latch is disposed at approximately the center of the side rail of the window sash and yieldably engages the walls of the guide channels when the latch is in locked position, thereby yieldably supporting the sash against vertical tilting movement and effectually preventing rattling of the sash when traveling over rough uneven roads.

A further object is to provide a combined window operating and fastening device including coacting latches adapted to be mounted on opposits sides of a sliding sash and each comprising a rod having an operating handle at one end thereof and a spring-pressed lug at the other,

the parts being so arranged that when the handles are grasped and swung outwardly in the act of raising or lowering the window sash, the lugs will be released to permit sliding movement of the sash, and, when the handles are released, the lugs will automatically engage the guide channels and hold the sash in adjusted position.

A further object is to provide a combined device of the character described which may be used with equally good results on either wood or metal sashes and which will operate instantly to grip and hold the sash in adjusted position.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a motor bus showing one of the windows thereof equipped with a combined operating and fastening device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The combined window operating and fastening device, forming the subject-matter of the present invention, while capable of application to any style or type of sliding closure, is particularly adapted for use on the Windows of motor buses and the like, and by way of illustration is shown in connectiton with a bus of standard construction in which 5 indicates one of the side walls having a window opening 6 therein and provided at its opposite sides with spaced vertical strips 1' constituting guide channels 8 in which is mounted, for vertical sliding movement, a windoW sash 9. The improved latches are arranged in pairs, one latch being disposed on each side of the sash 9, and each latch comprising a vertical rod IE! having one end thereof bent laterally to form a locking lug or finger H, while the other end of the rod is extended laterally and thence bent upon itself at l2 and extended inwardly in parallel relation to the first-mentioned bent portion to form an operating handle l3, the end of the rod, after the handle is formed, being extended upwardly in alinement with the rod ID to form a pintle I4. Secured to the sash 9 are metal clips I5, the free ends of which are bent or coiled upon themselves to form eyes it which constitute bearings for the rod It. Each side rail of the sash is cut away to form a transverse seating recess l7 opening through the front face thereof and of a size to accommodate the locking lug or finger ll so that, when the rod is turned, the lug II will enter the recess I1 and permit free vertical sliding movement of the sash. Each latch is equipped with a tension spring E8, the intermediate portion of which is coiled around the adjacent rod I!) immediately below the handle 13, one end of the spring being anchored to the sash by a screw or similar fastening device l9 extending through an eye on said end of the spring and the other end of said spring being extended laterally and thence upwardly and inwardly to form a hook 26 which bears againsts the adjacent handle l3 and serves to normally and yieldably hold the handle in contact with the upper rail of the sash. The free end of each handle is preferably provided with a pad 2! of cup-shape formation which fits over the free end of the handle and acts as a buffer for said handle when the latter is returned to normal position under the influence of the spring l8. portion of each handle is preferably curved or bowed outwardly, as shown in Figure 2, so as to permit the operator to conveniently grasp the handle when adjusting the window. It will here be noted that the tension of the spring I8 is The intermediate such that, under normal conditions, the locking lug or finger I I will frictionally engage the strips 1 forming the inner wall of the channel 8, and when the handle I3 is grasped and swung away from the sash the rod Ill will rotate in its bearings so as to cause the lug to enter the adjacent recess I1 and thus permit free sliding movement of the sash within said channel. It will furthermore be noted that the seating recesses I! are disposed at approximately the center of the side rails of the sash and this construction permits the lugs I I to engage the sash at the medial longitudinal line thereof, thereby not only preventing vertical tilting movement of the sash within the channel but owing to the fact that the lugs II are constantly under the tension of the spring, said lugs act as an anti-rattler and prevent jarring or chattering of the sash when traveling over rough uneven roads.

To raise or lower the window, it is merely necessary to grasp the handles I3 and swing said handles outwardly. This action causes the rods ID to rotate in their bearings thereby moving the lugs I I within the seating recesses I I and permitting free vertical adjustment of the sash.. As soon as the desired adjustment of the sash has been effected, the springs I8 will automatically return the handles to normal position in contact with the upper rail of the sash and at the same time throw the locking lugs II outwardly in frictional contact with the walls of the guide channels, thereby instantly holding the sash in the desired position. It will thus be seen that an outward movement imparted to the operating handles will release the locking lugs and permit the handles to be used for raising or lowering the sash and as soon as the handles are released they will be returned to inoperative position and the lugs to operating position in frictional engagement with the walls of the guide channels. While it is preferred to position the operating handles at the top of the sash, it will, of course, be understood that the position of the latches may be reversed so that the handles will' bear against the lower rail of the sash, the operation of the latch being identical in both instances.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention particularly adapted for use in connection with metal sashes, a portion of one of which is indicated at 22. In this form of the device, spaced clips 23 are secured to the inner wall of the hollow sash and form bearings for the rod 24. The operating handle 25 of the rod extends through an opening 26 in the hollow sash and the free end thereof is normally and yieldably held against the window glass by a coiled spring 21. The spring 21, as well as the rod 24, is housed within the sash, said spring being coiled around the rod and having one end thereof bearing against the inner wall of the sash and its other end seated in an opening formed in the locking lug or finger 28, said sash being cut away at 29 to accommodate the lug or finger, as shown.

It will thus be seen that the operating mechanism, with the exception of the handle 25, is disposed entirely within the hollow sash so as to be housed and protected thereby and not present an unsightly appearance.

The devices may be made in different sizes and shapes and the springs disposed at any desired position on the rods so long as said springs exert a tension on the locking lugs to normally hold said lugs in engagement with the walls of the guide channels.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A sash fastener comprising upper and lower bearings adapted to be secured to a side rail of a sash in vertical spaced relation to each other, a rod to extend vertically of the side rail of a sash having its upper and lower portions journaled through said bearings and adjacent the upper bearing being folded upon itself to form an actuating handle of double strand formation projecting transversely from a side of the rod, the lower end of the rod being bent to form a window frame engaging lug projecting transversely from the rod at the opposite side thereof from said handle, and a spring coiled about said rod and having arms projecting transversely therefrom for engaging a side rail of a sash and a portion of the rod and yieldably resisting rotation of the rod in one direction.

2. A fastener for a sash having a side rail formed with a recess in one face and adapted to be slidably received in a guide channel of a window frame, said fastener comprising upper and lower bearings adapted to be secured to the side rail of the sash in vertical spaced relation to each other above the recess of the side rail, a rod journaled in the lower bearing and having its upper portion folded transversely upon itself to form a handle a of double strand formation extending from a side of the rod and having its upper strand bent upw-ardly to form a pintle alined with the rod and journaled in the upper bearing, the lower end portion of the rod being bent transversely below I the lower bearing to form a frame engaging lug movable into and out of the recess of the side rail of the sash when the rod is rotated through the medium of the handle, and a spring coiled about the rod and having arms extending from its ends, one arm bearing against the handle and the other being adapted to bear against the sash rail and tension the spring.

3. A fastener for a sash having a side rail of channeled formation to provide spaced walls and having its inner wall formed with an opening adjacent its upper end and with a recess spaced downwardly from the opening, said fastener comprising upper and lower bearings adapted to be secured against the inner face of the wall having the opening and recess formed therein, a rod journaled through said bearings for extending vertically of the wall between the opening and recess and having its upper portion folded transversely upon itself to form a handle of double strand formation extending from a side of the rod for projecting outwardly through the opening of the wall, the lower end portion of the rod being bent transversely to form an arm extending transversely from the rod at the opposite side thereof from the handle and having its free end portion bent to provide a finger for projecting outwardly through the recess and engaging a window frame to hold the sash in a vertically adjusted position, and a spring coiled about the rod above the side arm and having extended end portions, one of which engages the side arm of the rod and the other of which is adapted to bear against the inner face of the wall of the side rail 

